Archive - January 2015

MORE, a magazine for women of style and substance, carries a monthly article entitled “Real-Life Reinvention Secrets” and in the February issue Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet (Western Samoa 1981-83) is featured as a  new leader with a new look. Carrie talks about dressing so that today she is “equally comfortable in a boardroom or a mud hut.” Carrie also talks about going from deputy director “where I wore pants, flats and ethnic jackets, with my hair in a ponytail” to meetings on the Hill or with ambassadors, “so I needed a more professional look.” Check it out on page 108 of the current issue of MORE. http://www.more.com/news/personalities/carrie-hessler-radelet-peace-corps-director

We heard recently from Alan Toth (South Africa 2010-12) about his new ventures with Posh Corps and I asked him to detail the developments of his very fine film ventures about Peace Corps work. Posh Corps: not just a film anymore Several months ago, Socorra Camposanto (Morocco 2010-12), the audio producer and composer at Posh Corps, Socorra Camposanto first approached me about the idea of doing a regular podcast of Peace Corps  stories. It was a great idea. What many people likely don’t realize, is that the Posh Corps team has shot about 100 interviews with returned volunteers over the last two years, for our web series, Posh Corps Shorts. Due to difficulties getting B-roll, or high quality photos, most of these interviews could not be used. Podcasting has no need for B-roll, so we finally have a forum for these volunteer stories. The next episode will feature interviews with evacuated volunteers from . . .

As the Ebola epidemic crept into Liberia in March 2014, a dramatic shift began to take place. In a matter of months, the widespread belief that Ebola didn’t even exist gave way to a gripping fear across Monrovia, the capital city. When the decision was made to evacuate Peace Corps volunteers from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone at the end of July, the agency worked quickly to ensure each volunteer returned safely to the United States. This was not an easy operation as logistics and already-challenged roads had deteriorated with the full force of the rainy season. Once we, as American and Liberian Peace Corps staff members, achieved our goal of seeing all volunteers safely back home, we began educating ourselves on the potential impact the Ebola virus could have in Liberia. Click here for full story Virginia is the first state in nation to become employer of national service Augusta . . .

Thanks to Ken Hill (Turkey 1965-67) who brought to my attention the notice of the death of Robert White. As Ken wrote: A career foreign service officer, Bob White was brought to Peace Corps via Jack Vaughn who had also been a career foreign service officer. He was Deputy Regional Director for Latin America and then succeeded Jack Vaughn as Regional Director when Jack was named Peace Corps Director. After the Nixon Administration came to power Bob White was replaced, some say because he complained openly to Congress that the new Administration was ‘politicizing’ the Peace Corps. In 1971, of course, less than a year after Bob White left, the Peace Corps became part of the new ACTION Agency, Nixon’s creature designed to fold several “new frontier” anti-poverty programs into a new entity with the ultimate intent to eliminate them. White joined the Foreign Service in 1955 and served in . . .

Patricia Garamendi (Ethiopia 1966-68) has brought to my attention a fascinating new book that anyone who served in the Peace Corps might find of value. The book Living On A Dollar A Day:  The Lives And Faces Of the World’s Poor was written by Thomas A. Nazario, with photographs by Renée C. Byer. The book features 215 images bvRenée C. Byer and has a forward by the Dalai Lama.  David Griffin the former director of photography at National Geographic helped photo edit and designed the book which recently was awarded 1st prize documentary book award at IPA (International Photography Awards.) Writer Thomas A. Nazario is the founder and president of The Forgotten International, a nonprofit organization that does poverty alleviation work in several parts of the world. Renée C. Byer is an American documentary photojournalist best known for her in-depth work focusing on the disadvantaged and those who otherwise would . . .

Best Politician in the McConnell House? It May Not Be Mitch by Sheryl Gay Stolberg, The New York Times Senator Mitch McConnell is a skilled politician. But he may not be his family’s best. That honor might go to his wife, Elaine Chao. As the sometimes-dour Mr. McConnell took command of the Senate yesterday, Ms. Chao roamed the corridors of the Capitol, happily shaking hands with veteran members, welcoming freshmen and their spouses (all of whose names she seemed to know) and parrying with reporters. “Today is not so much about my husband becoming majority leader — today is the day that, I hope, the country will take a new direction,” she said. Asked why her husband never sought to be president, she had an explanation at the ready: “He’s always been a creature of the Senate.” If that sounds practiced, there is a reason: Ms. Chao has deep experience in Washington, . . .